Delivery: The Week Before Regionals
by KenpoChick
Summary: It's the week before Regionals, and strange things are happening! Mike likes Quinn? Rachel's old rival's back, and can sing just as well as she can? Sue might actually do something nice for somebody! And Quinn has some unexpected troubles of her own.
1. Hello Monday, Goodbye Love

**Delivery: The Week Before Regionals**

**A/N-This story is not supposed to be anything like what actually happens at/before Regionals. If it is, pure coincidence. I don't own Glee, or any of the songs in this chapter. Those are licensed and belong to other people, and I take no credit. Enjoy! **

_Monday, May 26th_

Today's Glee rehearsal started like all others. Well, almost like all others. That was the day their regionals costumes arrived. Their brand-new amber dresses and basic black suits were handed out, and everyone had something to say.

"These are great, Mr. Schue, but they're all so monotonous. I am the lead singer, so maybe I should wear something..."

Mercedes interrupted, "Woah, woah, woah, drama queen. You may sing most of the solos, sure, but you _are not_ our lead singer. We aren't in Vocal Adrenaline, and I want my share of the credit too."

Before they could start fighting, Kurt said, "Look Mr. Schue, I love the simplicity of the basic black. But, it needs something to jazz it up. Can I bedazzle it?"

Finn looked at him, then to Mr. Schue, "If he bedazzles his, do we have to bedazzle ours?"

Puck shook his head, "No way in hell am I going to go up in front of those Vocal Adrenaline punks all..._sparkly_." He said sparkly like it made him throw up just to think about it.

Kurt rolled his eyes, "It was just a suggestion, you Neanderthals."

Mr. Schuester clapped his hands, and said, "Ok, everybody. We can look at the costumes later. But, right now we have a competition to get ready for." Everyone grumbled, but got into formation for their first song. Finn stepped forward, and started,

_You say yes, I say no..._

Rachel joined him,

_You say stop and I say go, go, go!_

Everyone sang,

_Oh no, you say goodbye, and I say hello_

_Hello, hello_

_You say goodbye, and I say hello,_

_Hello, hello_

_Don't know why you say goodbye when I say hello_

But, halfway through the song, Quinn let out a cry of pain, and clutched her stomach. Puck rushed over to her, "What's wrong, babe? Is it the baby?"

Quinn glared at him, "Of course it's the baby, you idiot." Then, she turned to the rest of them, "I'm fine, really. It's just kicks. Ugh...hard kicks."

Mr. Schue looked at her in concern, "Why don't you sit this rehearsal out, Quinn? You can see the nurse if you need to." Quinn shook her head, but kept sitting. "From the top everybody.." Everyone moved to their places. Mike lingered for a moment, but snapped out of it, and walked up onto the risers. Puck just sat there with Quinn, not caring whether she wanted him there or not. They restarted,

_You say yes, I say no_

_You say stop, and I say go, go, go!_

* * *

**Mike**

"Mike, are you ok?" Mr. Schuester asked as I walked towards the door. "You didn't really seem into it after Quinn's..."

"There's nothing wrong, Mr. Schue. I was just thrown off." I said, and continued out to football. The truth was there was something wrong. It had been wrong ever since I started freshman year. Quinn Fabray was wrong. But, I should go back to the beginning...

I've been friends with Matt, Finn, and Puck since the first grade. Puck made fun of my accent, because I'd just moved here from China, and I still could barely speak English. Then, I punched him in the face, Finn and Matt pulled us off each other, and a friendship was born. We grew up together, started football together, discovered girls together.

Ahh...girls. Lots of people think I'm into Tina, or that I like Brittany, and some people even think I'm into guys, but none of its true. Tina's great and all, but she's like my sister. And Brittany...well, one time we went out, and she told me about how rabbits invented Starburst. I wasn't sure what to make of that one. And I met the girl of my dreams when I was 14: Quinn.

When I walked in the doors that first day, I found Finn and Puck talking with a girl, the prettiest girl I'd ever seen. She was blonde, and sweet, and she looked cute in her brand-new Cheerios uniform. She was flirting with them, bragging that she was the only freshman to make varsity cheer, and teasing them about being J.V. in football.

I tried to join in the conversation the best I could, introducing myself. She gave me a smile, but ignored me. It wasn't until we were science partners that we really talked. She was funny, and smarter than she looked, and I started telling her my problems, and she told me hers. I thought we had a connection, but then she started dating some junior. We were still friends, closer than Puck or Finn were to her, but I could see she wasn't interested. Then, a year and a half later when her boyfriend graduated, she started dating Finn, and it had never been worse. She wasn't just dating someone else, she was dating one of my best friends. When I found out she was pregnant, I was crushed. There was no chance I'd ever be with her, if she was having Finn's baby. But, then they broke up at Sectionals, and she cried on my shoulder, and the ray of hope was back. She wasn't exactly with Puck, so I still had a shot.

So, now you know my dirty secret. I'm love with Quinn, and to her I'm just a friend. For now. But, maybe once all this baby stuff is over, she'll realize I'm a better match for her than Puck, or Finn, or any of those other punks.

I see Quinn across the hall, walking to whatever she has next. I walk over to her. "Hey. Do you need any help with anything? Are you ok?"

Quinn smiles at me weakly, and says, "I'm fine now, Mike. And, don't worry about it, Puck's helping me with my stuff. I'll be ok." She nods, then walks up beside Puck, as he puts his arm around her shoulders. Yeah, she'll realize she's into me. When pigs fly.

* * *

**Rachel**

As I've learned in my many years of performing, a great actress/singer/dancer/mime never lets her emotions get in the way of an amazing performance. And, being well versed in all of those arts, I know how difficult it is to rid yourself of those feelings. But, getting over Jesse St. James before nationals is like trying to recover from getting hit by a truck.

Though I've tried to deny it, I did have my heart shattered when he cracked that egg on my head. But, I've decided to release all my anger and pain into our Regionals performance. After all, success is the best revenge. And it'll be great when New Directions is standing up there with our trophy as Vocal Adrenaline looks on jealously. And when Jesse begs me to get back together with him, well, I'll obviously have better offers, considering I'll be the biggest show choir name in the state of Ohio.

But, right now I have to get back to doing my math and the regular world. But, just as I'm about to start, I hear my phone, singing out On My Own. I pick up, not bothering to check the number. Maybe that was a mistake, because the voice on the other ends slams into me like a freight train. "Hello, _Rachel_." Jesse says, kind of coldly.

I reply, in the iciest voice I can muster, "_Hello_, Jesse. What are _you _calling about?"

He says, "I just thought you might like to come see our newest number. We have a new lead singer I thought you might want to meet." As much as I wanted to say no out of spite, I was intrigued. It's always good to see the competition, and seeing a new lead vocalist in action would help us get an edge.

"Fine, I'll be there at 2." Then, I hung up, satisfied. After all, I was Rachel Berry, and no "new lead vocalist," was going to scare me.

I reach Vocal Adrenaline's auditorium 5 before 2, but they're already gearing up, ready to go. Their costumes are fabulous, as usual, black and white. The girls are wearing white halter dresses with flowing knee-length skirts with black belts around their waists, and the guys have loose white button downs, with black ties. Jesse looks so...no, I refuse to think about him in a non-professional way. They're facing the backstage area, and I take a seat as Jesse starts,

_When the night has come, and the land is dark,_

_And the moon is the only light we see,_

_No, I won't be afraid, oh, I won't be afraid_

_Just as long as you stand, stand by me_

But, then I hear a different voice. It's mezzo-soprano, and smooth, and (as much as I hate to admit it) really, really, good.

_So, darling, darling, stand by me_

_Oh, stand by me_

_Oh, stand by me, stand by me_

The rest of the song is just as jaw dropping. The girl hit every note without fail, and, from what I could see, their dancing is still impeccable. They finally finished, and Jesse turned to face me. "So, what do you think? How was it?" He asks, obviously gloating.

The girl next to him turns around, and now I know this is some sick, twisted dream. Because, if that's who I think it is, I'm dead. Sienna McCormick, the only girl who was ever talented enough to challenge me who moved away in 7th grade, is singing lead for Vocal Adrenaline. Sienna, with her perfectly straight glossy shoulder-length dark hair and perfectly shaped nose, who made my life a living hell in grade school. "Yeah, Berry, I always like opinions from other singers, especially the...less talented. How did I do?" Her smirk speaks for itself. She knows she's fabulous. And her dismissive tone is just as hurtful as it was in 4th grade. There's only one difference. This time she's not going to beat me.

**So, what do you think? R&R! I need input! Stay tuned for Chapter 2! **


	2. Love's Complicated, but Evil's Simple

_Tuesday, May 27th_

* * *

**Puck**

We're back in Glee, and Quinn won't talk to me. Again. I don't get her at all anymore. It's like, one minute she's leaning on my shoulder, and the next she's yelling at me, telling me to get a job, so I can support the baby. And she's always going off on me for talking about Super Mario. But, how can you not talk about Super Mario? It like, made history.

Anyway, I like Quinn, but if she doesn't stop riding me, I'm going to go postal. Right as I'm thinking about the old Quinn, Rachel bursts in, looking really upset. "Guys! Vocal Adrenaline has a new lead singer! And trust me, as much as I hate to say it, she is extremely talented." But, I kind of tuned her out. I was too busy thinking about Rachel and I. Rachel is one good-looking Jew, and she's stopped wearing those sweater vest things, so she definitely looks hotter now.

Why did I break up with Rachel in the first place? I mean, yeah, she was hard to handle, but so is Quinn. And Rachel actually liked making out with me, and she encouraged me to express myself. Quinn really just encourages me to get off my lazy ass and do something with my life, which I need, it's just not as nice. But, why am I thinking that way about Rachel? Quinn's having my baby, and Finn's obviously into her.

"So, what do you think, Puck?" Rachel asks. Wait, what?

"Huh? What are we talking about?" I say. I don't really care if I sound like a jerk, I honestly have no idea what's going on.

Rachel glares at me. She looks pretty when she's angry. Wait, where did that come from? What am I talking about? "We're talking about the fact that our Regionals win is in jeopardy, _Puckerman._ If Sienna-"

I raise my eyebrows and smile, "If Sienna what, Rachel? You're the best singer out of all of us, including Vocal Adrenaline. No girl, no matter how much of a bitch she is, is going to be able to outshine you at Regionals. You're incredible." Everyone stares at me. You didn't think I had that in me, did ya? "What? I can be nice too. The Puckster has many sides."

Rachel nods, "First, don't ever call yourself the Puckster again." She shudders, but softens, and smiles, "And second...thanks. That's really, really, sweet of you." She walks over to her seat by Finn and that black girl I dated, and Quinn looks over at me, and she smiles too, just a little bit. But, I barely even notice. I'm too busy thinking about how Rachel looked at me. How come I can't love the mother of my child? How come I'm suddenly obsessed with Rachel? What is this world coming to?

* * *

**Rachel**

Now, you may not understand why I'm so worked up over Sienna, so let me explain: Sienna was in dance and voice and tortured me. Now, I wish I could say this was because I was so much more talented she felt the need to lash out, but unfortunately she was just as talented as I was. She stole my song for our talent show, and sang it right before I was supposed to go on. She tripped me before our dance recital, and I sprained my ankle, so she was lead dancer. She let me eat her peanut butter sandwich at the dress rehearsal for our production of Thoroughly Modern Millie. Apparently, it had bread mold, and guess who wound up as Millie?

Sienna is like the devil, and she has the voice of a saint. But, this time I'm not going to let it get to me. I'm not a scared little 10 year old anymore, and she can't use stupid intimidation tactics to scare me.

"Hey, Rachel." Finn says. I look up at him, and he's smiling. Finn still wants us to date, but I'm still far too heartbroken to even consider dating him. "I just wanted to say, Puck was right. No girl's ever going to top you at Regionals."

I nod, "Thanks, Finn. But, you've never met Sienna. But, you're right, no one's going to outdo me. Not this time."

Finn raised his eyebrows, "What do you mean this time?"

I sigh. I really don't want to tell this story, but here goes... "Well, do you really want to hear it?"

Finn replies, "I'm all yours."

I start, "Well, in 6th grade, Sienna and I were competing for the lead as Annie in our school production of Annie, Get Your Gun. Sienna promised that there wouldn't be any dirty tricks, so I kind of assumed the part was mine. I didn't rehearse too much, but I still sounded pretty good. Then, Sienna comes up there, starts singing, and I can tell she's really been trying hard, because she's perfect, and she gets the part. End of story."

"Well, Rachel, you're not in 6th anymore. And, you're the most talented person I've ever met. So, put all that behind you. Regionals is your chance to get your pride back." He said.

And he's right. This time I obviously have the upper hand. So, watch out, Sienna McCormick. You're about to eat my high C...

* * *

**Jesse**

"Get your lazy ass back on stage St. James, and start singing! NOW!" Shelby yells, knowing I can hear her backstage. That's one thing I miss about New Directions, though I'd never admit it: Their director never went postal. Sienna comes back, grabs a water, and looks at me curiously. "What's wrong, St. James? You haven't been the same since Berry came up yesterday." And it was true. Ever since Rachel had seen us yesterday, I hadn't been able to focus. The hurt on her face was evident. Stand By Me was our song. Or one of them, at least. And all I've been able to think since that moment is, _What kind of an idiot am I? Why the hell am I not with her, telling her I was a fool, and that I still love her?_

Yes, I'm still in love with Rachel. I can admit it, just not to Shelby, or Sienna, or anyone in Vocal Adrenaline. The only reason I broke up with her is because I love Vocal Adrenaline too, and I knew I couldn't do both. The things I said were practically scripted by Georgina, the lovely girl who told them just how quaint their auditorium was. I egged her because if I didn't, I wouldn't belong in either group, not New Directions, not Vocal Adrenaline.

And, when they were up there doing funk, I _was _depressed. The girl of my dreams had basically just told me she wanted nothing to do with me, and sang a great song. And, I could already see her looking at that Finn kid. We were obviously over in her mind, where as we were far from it in mine.

Sienna just looks at me for a minute, before grabbing my hand, and pulling me off the speaker I was sitting on. "What are you doing?" I ask. She's actually surprisingly strong, and manages to pull me onstage.

She smiles, "Look, Jesse, I've known you for two years, ever since I started as an alternate. And I know the only thing that gets you out of a funk is singing, so..." She gestures to our audience, everyone else in VA. "Let it out."

I start, singing the only song I can think of that doesn't remind me of Rachel,

_Close every door to me, _

_Hide all the world from me,_

_Bar all the windows, and shut out the light,_

_Just give me a number instead of my name, _

_Forget all about me, and let me decay,_

_I do not matter, I'm only one person,_

_Destroy me completely, then throw me away..._

They were all clapping, and Sienna was smiling. "You just gave me an idea, St. James." She whispered something to the band, and she turned, back facing Jesse and the rest of VA. "We can do Broadway too!" She called, before singing,

_Good and evil, and their merits_

_Men have argued through history, as well they should_

_My philosophy, any child can see,_

_Good is evil,_

_And therefore all evil...is good,_

Everyone else joined her up there, singing,

_How do you tell evil from good?_

_Evil does well, good, not so good!_

_Evil's the one that's free everywhere,_

_Good is the one that they sell!_

_You must decide which is heaven and which is..hell_

They continued through the song,

_Evil's for me, you can have good,_

_Doesn't suit me to be Robin Hood,_

_It's easier by far, by the way things are, to remain good and evil,_

_Than try to be evil and good!  
_When we finish, show faces in full force, we could hear clapping, and Shelby comes up onstage, "Well done, you guys. That could be a great number. Keep it up. But Sienna, go up to C on that last note. I want them to be impressed, not bored."

Sienna nods, "Yes, Miss Corcoran. C next time."

Shelby gives us a rare smile, "Take five, drink a Red Bull, and get back out here to work on Another One Bites The Dust."

I go into my dressing room, grab a Red Bull like Shelby said to, and sit in the recliner the boosters donated. There's only one song I can think about now that I'm offstage,

_That face, that face_

_That dangerous face, I mustn't be unwise,_

_Those lips, that nose, those eyes, could lead to my demise_

_That face, that face, that marvelous face, I never should begin_

_Those cheeks, that neck, that neck, that chin, _

_Will surely do me in,_

_I must be smart, and hide my heart, if she's within a mile,_

_If I don't duck, I'm out of luck, she'll kill me with her smile_

_That face, that face, that fabulous face, it's clear I must beware_

_I'm certain if I fall in love, I'm lost without a trace_

_But it's worth it, for that face..._

* * *

**Quinn**

This baby is ruining my life. Not just my reputation and college scholarship, my life. And now, I can barely do anything, because of how much pain Beth is causing me. Now, I do feel some affection for Beth, because I kind of like Puck, but she's screwed up a lot.

Like Finn and I. I loved him, I really did. I only lied because I knew if he found out it was Puck's, he'd never speak to me again. I wish we were together. He was sweet, and he really cared, which Puck only occasionally does. Maybe he'll talk to me again once the baby's born. I think he should be there, with Puck. After all, Finn thought he was Beth's father for four months. Mercedes should be there, too. And Mike...

Mike's always there for me. When Puck's off hitting on Santana and Finn is too busy with football, Mike's always there, and he listens, he doesn't just talk. I know he honestly does care about me, but just as a friend. He never asked me out, not even when I broke up with Finn, even though I've always wanted him to. I mean, I loved Finn, and I like Puck, but I always felt a...I don't know, connection with Mike. Something different.

Well, now I'm on my way to the nurse's office. I've been unable to do Glee rehearsal for the second day, so I'm going back. Nurse Penelope points to a cot, and I sit, rubbing my stomach. She walks over, looks at me, and asks, "What's wrong? Is the baby kicking again?"

I nod, "Yeah, but it's kicking...really hard...and fast. They don't...feel like kicks."

She raised her eyebrows, "When's your due date, sweetie?"

I think for a moment, "Two weeks from Thursday."

She says, "Sweetie, I think you should go to the hospital. You're probably having contractions. Do you know anyone who might be able to drive you? I would, but policy says I have to stay here."

I nod, "I know the person I need." I walk as fast as I can back to the choir room, look at Mr. Schue and say, "Can you drive me to the hospital? I'm having my baby."

* * *

**Finn**

Woah, that was fast. One minute we were rehearsing, the next, Quinn's bursting in here, saying she needs Mr. Schue to drive her to the hospital.

Mr. Schue leaps up, and rushes over to her saying, "Ok, Quinn, it's ok, we can get you over there. Puck! Come on!"

I realize I've stood up without thinking about it. Rachel gives me a strange look, and Mr. Schue starts, "Finn..."

But then, Quinn interrupts, "No, Finn, it's fine. Come. Please." I walk over there, with Puck glaring at me. I'm not sure why Quinn wants me there, but it feels right to come. We run out to Mr. Schuester's old car, and Puck and I get in the back, so Quinn can sit in the front. We got to the hospital in five minutes, and got to the desk as fast as we could helping Quinn, who could barely walk right now. She got a wheelchair, and was taken away to wherever pregnant girls go. Puck gives me the angriest look I've ever seen him give me, and says, "Stay away from Quinn. It's my baby, not yours Hudson. Nothing will ever change that, and she doesn't need you." You know, back when I dated Quinn, I thought about this day a lot. Considering I'm not the father, this day's a lot different than I planned.


	3. Sue Sylvester, and Unrequited Love

_**A/N: Ok, this is where relationships really kick it up a notch. Let me just say, many people wil date many other people throughout this story, though I'm not planning any slash. And, the songs from this and last chapter belong to their respective owners.**_

_Tuesday May 27th, 2:16 PM_

**

* * *

**

Sue

_Dear Journal,_

_Lady Justice is again on her knees, weeping. Figgins, who obviously does not understand blackmail, has just informed me of another "idea," from the idiotic school board. Apparently, all Cheerios have to have a grade point average above a 2.4, whatever that means. Now, I tried to tell them that having drive and winning spirit is vastly more important than learning how to divide things and read books, but they gave me back some letter filled with crap about how, "this is a school and the students must learn." The hell I say to that. The schools in Texas obviously have no learning, and their football teams are nationally ranked. If that's good enough for Texas, why not for us?_

_Well, luckily only one Cheerio is really below that line: Brittany. Yes, I tried to defend her, saying that not knowing how to spell 'the' was not any sort of proof that someone needs a tutor, but Figgins insisted. After threatening every teacher in school, none have cracked. (Though, it's been profitable, because several teachers offered me over $50 to leave them alone, which I gladly accepted.) So, I've come to only one conclusion-I must tutor Brittany myself. _

I walk through the halls, satisfied with the reactions of fear from the clueless, overweight, student body, until I find them. "Santana, Brittany! Get over here!" The two link pinkies, something that I find disgusting and nostalgic at the same time, and walk over to me.

"Yes, Coach Sylvester?" Santana says. She's always been the more talkative and devious of the two. She reminds me of myself, in my college days.

"Brittany, I'm going to be blunt. In the eyes of the school board, you're a disgrace to the name of William McKinley. Frankly, I only think you're a moderate failure, but I can't argue with that." I say.

Brittany nods, "I got a letter about it. They said I set a record with how low my grades are."

Santana looks over at her, and remarks, "They should give you a medal for that."

Tired of all this inane nattering, I get to the point, "As all the other teachers have not responded to my threats with anything other than monetary bribes, am going to have to be the one to tutor you."

Santana looks at me with the most disrespectful expression I've ever seen, "That's a great joke, Ms. Sylvester. But, you can't be serious. You're not even a real-"

I bark, "Lopez, finish that sentence and your skin will be hanging on my wall after today's practice. I got a degree in education 27 years ago at a little community college called _Princeton._ So, I have just as much a right to each as that curly-haired delinquent William Schuester does. Now, out of my way. No last name, I'll see you in my office, 3:05 sharp."

Santana says, "But, Coach, we have math at 3:05!"

She obviously does not know who she's talking to. "Like. I. Care. Lopez, what's more important, learning about b's and x's and percent signs, or impressing the coach who can make you HEAD CHEERLEADER?" Then, I turn and walk away in a dramatic fashion. I will teach Brittany No Last Name something, as long as my name is Susan Ethel Mavis Sylvester.

**

* * *

**

Mike

I couldn't focus for the rest of the day. I was living for 3:30, when I'd finally be able to see Quinn, see if she was all right. I'd skip track; Coach Tanaka really didn't care much about attendance after his breakup.

But, I'm so confused. Why Finn? Why not me? Finn wasn't even the father, and Quinn had told me multiple times that I was a better listener, a better friend than Finn. So, why had she chosen him to come with her?

I'm in my free period, so I get a pass to the guidance counselor's office. I can't focus on homework anyway, and Miss Pillsbury is the only person I can see having a solution. (Well, the only person who isn't involved in the situation.)

As I walk into her office, Miss Pillsbury's polishing the little plastic pamphlet holders. She looks up at me, "Oh, hi..."

"Mike." I tell her.

She smiles, and sits behind her desk, "Mike. Sorry, it's just I haven't seen you around very much. So, what do you need help with?"

"What do you do if the girl you're in love with likes someone else?" I blurt out.

She raises her eyebrows, "Well, that's serious, knowing you're in love. Who is it?"

I don't really want to tell her it's Quinn. I'm not big on having everyone know my personal business. (That's why I don't talk much to most people.) But, I still need advice. "It's a girl at Carmel. She's with my friend Matt." I lie.

Miss Pillsbury says, "Oh, she's with your friend. Now, I understand why you're so upset."

"Yeah, and she's Puck's ex." I say. The story's coming together nicely.

"Oh, so she's been with two of your friends. That must be very difficult for you." She says sympathetically.

"Yeah." I say, starting to get angry, "Yeah, and now she's invited them to this really personal thing...her mom's wedding. And, I'm like one of her closest friends, and she didn't invite me, but she invited Puck, who ended things with her in this really ugly way, and hasn't spoken to her since."

Miss Pillsbury nods and bites her lip, "Well, break-ups like that can be hard to deal with. And, if she dated him for a long time, she probably has some...unresolved feelings for him. It's hard to break up with someone you really liked." Does that mean Quinn still likes Finn? After he broke her heart?

She continues, "Well, if you really like her, tell her. But, first approach Matt, and talk to him about it. But, if you really think you love her, you can't let her go. Love is never worth sacrificing." I say thanks, and get up to leave. Miss Pillsbury's right. If I really love her, I need to tell her. Even if it means I have to fight every guy in the world, I need to tell her.

**

* * *

**

Quinn

Apparently Beth likes to scare people. The doctor said I went into false labor, and that I should stay the night anyway, but I'll probably be fine, and free to walk out by morning.

Sitting in that hospital bed gave me lots of time to think. Think about why exactly I wanted Finn here, what I had with Puck, about everything. I realized that I still did like Finn, that he was still the cute, sweet, boy I had been in the Celibacy Club with all those months ago. When he dumped me, I cried. For days. I talked about it with Mike, with Puck, with anyone who would listen. It was so awkward I moved into Puck's house to avoid seeing him.

Because, I loved him, but he didn't love me. And, slowly, I numbed myself of my feelings for him. I reminded myself that he wanted Rachel now, and I wasn't the same stuck-up Cheerio who he'd broken up with. I liked Puck, so we started "dating." Then, Puck started up with Mercedes and with Santana again, and I dumped him. And now, I still like Puck, I still love Finn, and I don't know how I feel about Mike.

Just then, Finn walks in, looking a little bit embarrassed to be see me in my hospital gown. I'm not sure why. My Cheerios uniform was sexier than this thing, with my huge stomach. "Um, hi. Can we talk?" I nod, and he continues, "Ok, good. So, I've got a question. Uh, why'd you let me come? She's not even mine." There was a trace of bitterness in his last sentence.

There was really only one answer to his question that wouldn't freak him out, "You _were_ her father, Finn. For four months, you were the best father she could ask for. I thought you might want to see her anyway."

Finn gives me this look, a look that reminds me of those looks he used to give me when we were freshman and he had a crush on me. "That's really cool of you. I did want to see her...to see you."

In that moment, I know what I want to do. He's sitting there on the end of the bed, and I grab his neck and pull him towards me, then do something I haven't done in months: I kiss him. At first he resists, but then he kisses me back, just as deep, and desperate, and hard as I'm kissing him. We kiss for what seems like a lifetime, but then Finn pulls away. He looks at me regretfully, and says, "Quinn...that was great, but-"

"Quinn! How're you doing?" I look to see Rachel standing in my doorway, Kurt and Mercedes behind her. Then, I see how Finn's looking at Rachel: Like he's thirsty and she's the last bottle of Coke on Earth. And then it really hits home: Finn loves Rachel. We can never be a couple again. Friends sure, but our relationship is over.

As the others leave once I tell them I'm fine, I say, "Finn, it's fine. I get it. It was fun while it lasted. We're still friends, right? Now go find Rachel." I watch him leave, then think of a song I heard Rachel sing once at Glee,

_Hands touch, eyes meet_

_Sudden silence, sudden heat,_

_Hearts leap in a giddy whirl,_

_He could be that boy,_

_But I'm not that girl,_

_Don't dream too far,_

_Don't lose sight of who you are,_

_Don't remember that rush of joy,_

_He could be that boy,_

_I'm not that girl,_

_Every so often, we long to steal to the land of what might have been,_

_But that doesn't soften the ache the we feel,_

_When reality sets back in..._

I wish Finn did love me, but then I remember those last lines,

_Don't wish, don't start_

_Wishing only wounds the heart,_

_I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl, _

_There's a girl I know,_

_He loves her so,_

_I'm not that girl_

* * *

**Aw, poor Quinn. Well, that's it until Monday. But, I've got plenty more planned. Enjoyed it? R & R!**


	4. Love Drunk and Hungover

A/N: Ok, I'm a little ahead of schedule, which is always great! So, without further ado, Chapter 4!

**Again, I don't own any songs used in this chapter. **

* * *

**Sienna**

_"You're _the new lead singer for Vocal Adrenaline?" The girl next to me gushes. "Oh, you're so lucky. I didn't even make it in."

"Yeah, lucky." I grumble. Everyone thinks I'm _so _lucky. I'm the lead for national champions Vocal Adrenaline. But, that was talent, not luck. I worked hard to go from an alternate, to a choir girl, to a dance captain, to a lead. The only thing that was lucky was the fact that I met Jesse St. James.

Ah, Jesse. He's one of my best friends, and the only boy I've ever wanted. The first time I heard him sing, when I was a lowly freshman and he was the new male lead, I felt like I was on fire, his voice was so hot. Plus, beneath all that cocky crap, he's actually a caring person. Too bad he's stuck on Berry.

Berry's like the eternal thorn in my side. I was finally making progress with Jesse. He even invited me to a movie. Then, suddenly he's telling me he has to cancel, because Shelby told him to take Rachel to dinner. At first, I wasn't worried, because he looked all annoyed, and he wasn't excited or anything. But, gradually, I saw him warm up to her. He said her name with this expression just short of adoration. Then he just up and left Carmel, left Vocal Adrenaline, left me. He kept telling me that it was all for Shelby, that he didn't even care about her. But, I could see he didn't believe it anymore, and neither did I. He had fallen for her. Figures. Rachel always did win everything.

Seriously, she did. I know I pulled some pretty nasty stunts, but it was only because no one ever thought I was as talented, as special, as she was. I needed to level the playing field, get my chances, and that was the only way to do that. But, I finally got my moment in 6th grade. Being Annie with Rachel as my understudy, purely on talent, with no tricks, was thrilling.

But, Rachel has obviously won Jesse. Ever since Shelby told him to break up with her, he's been seriously depressed. I just suggested inviting her to watch Stand By Me to see if it would help. He always has liked gloating. But, now he's just in more of a funk than ever. So now, I was commencing Phase 2 in Operation Get Jesse to be Happy. (Which doubles as Operation Get Him To Go Out With Me.)

I set up the other Vocal Adrenaline girls behind me. I love a little back-up. It adds drama. Shelby just stands there, looking unimpressed."Ok, Sienna and the girls have got something to show us, so boys...try not to laugh." Of course. She never thinks anything the girls try is ever any good. Jesse looks at me, curious, but I just smirk and shake my head. Ready, I signal the band, and we start:

_Hey, hey, you, you,_

_I don't like your girlfriend,_

_No way, no way,_

_I think you need a new one,_

_Hey, hey, you, you,_

_I could be your girlfriend,_

I feel bold, so I grab Jesse, and pull him up onstage.

_You're so fine, I want ya mine, you're so delicious,_

_Think about cha all the time, you're so addictive,_

_Don't you know what I can do to make you feel all right?_

_Don't pretend I think you know I'm damn precious_

_And hell yeah, I'm a mother effing princess_

_I can tell you like me too, and you know I'm right_

I look at him again. He's shaking his head, but he's smiling. I look right at him as I sing the next lines,

_She's like, so whatever_

_You could do so much better_

_I think we should get together now_

_Cause that's what everyone's talkin bout'_

_Hey, hey, you, you,_

_I don't like your girlfriend,_

_No way, no way,_

_I think you need a new one,_

_Hey, hey, you, you,_

_I could be your girlfriend!_

When we're done, Jesse says, "So, what was I supposed to get out of that?"

Emboldened, I say, "This." Then, I pull him in and kiss him, and he kisses me back. There wasn't a spark, but...it doesn't always have to be there the first time, does it? Then, I hear it. The little whimper. I turn and see Rachel, eyes filled with tears, turning and running from the auditorium. Jesse tears off stage, running after her, calling her name. And I just stand up there, embarrassed and alone, the 24 other Vocal Adrenaline members staring. Berry always does screw up everything.

* * *

**Rachel**

I thought there was nothing worse than being dumped by Jesse St. James in front of everyone, right before he funkified us. But, I was wrong. This is much, much, worse.

I don't know why I came up to spy on Vocal Adrenaline today. After Monday, I wanted to see how they were doing with Sienna. Our practices weren't very productive, because Quinn's problems had been disrupting us. I thought seeing them might help give us back our competitive edge. At least, that's what I convinced myself I was here for.

As I walked in, I overhear some girls talking, "Genius."

"I know, he's like the best actor I've ever seen." The other girl said.

"Convincing that Rachel girl that he was in love with her? Amazing." The first girl replied. Wait, were they talking about Jesse and I? What did they mean about acting? Now, I knew I had to see Jesse, to confront him.

Imagine my surprise when I walk in to find Jesse kissing Sienna up on stage. Only one week after our break up, Jesse has already moved on to my mortal enemy. I must have made some sort of noise when the tears came, because they broke apart, and everyone turned to look at me. Jesse was about to say something, but I turned and ran. I'm done letting him play games with me.

Jesse follows me out into the parking lot. He tries to talk, saying, "Rach, that...that wasn't what it looked like. Sienna-"

"No." I interrupt. I'm going to act like it doesn't matter, because if you act like it doesn't, it doesn't. "I should've known. After all, Sienna's the hard-to-hande but mysteriously attractive young star, and you're the hot male lead. Classic."

"But Rachel, Sienna threw herself at me."

"Yeah, and you didn't exactly push her away, did you?" My tears were being replaced with feelings of rage. "Look, we'd already broken up anyway, so it really doesn't matter."

Jesse reaches out to touch my face, and says, "Rachel, I-"

"Save it. I don't want to hear anymore of your lies. You know, one of your Vocal Adrenaline friends told me all about what you've been doing. Why are you still pretending?" I was practically yelling now. I never yelled because it was bad for my vocal chords.

"They told you about my deal with Shelby?" He asked quietly, looking down.

"What deal with Shelby?" Then, all the pieces snap into place. "That's why you pushed me so hard to fin my mom, right? Because Shelby told you to. And I actually thought you cared. I thought you _loved me._"

"Rachel, I do. I really do." Jesse seemed like he was on the verge of begging, but I didn't care. I'd had enough.

"Save it for Sienna." I turned on my heel and left.

* * *

**Sue**

**"**Ok, what's our number-one objective as Cheerios?"

"Uh, to win." Brittany answered.

"Right. And we can't do that unless you start making C's. Now, I'm not a teacher of useless subjects like English or Social Studies. I teach you how to become a champion. So, do you know the secret to doing well in academics?"

Brittany thought for a moment, "Uh, studying?"

I snort, "Please, amateur move. Studying is for people with too much time on their hands. I used a very different method. I cheated." Now, many people in this world believe cheating is wrong, but I simply direct them to this Sue's Corner.

_Two weeks ago_

_"Hello, fellow citizens, this is Splits Magazine's Cheerleading Coach Of the Past 2,000 Years, Sue Sylvester. Now, I know most of you have been told, 'Cheating is wrong.' But, is sharing wrong? Sharing helped build America. And, isn't cheating just sharing answers? So, to you who cheated on your finals, or your entrance exam, don't feel ashamed. Feel proud for being a trailblazer, and bringing sharing back to America. And that's how Sue sees it._

Brittany looked at me, "Why woul I need to cheat?"

"You're failing everything, idiot."

"Oh yeah, that. All right. I'll try it. But, I don't see why I need to. I already know all the stuff." Poor girl. She's more deluded than anyone I've ever met, and that includes Will Schuester thinking his moronic hair looks good.

* * *

**Puck**

God, I'm bored. I've been sitting in this hospital for hours, because my mom insisted I stay overnight with Quinn. And, that's not much fun. Quinn just keep telling me what a shitbag I am, and how much pain she's in. I've been hiding from the nursing staff, who keep telling me to hang with her, in this waiting room, eating Doritos from the busted vending machine.

I'm pretty bored, but what happens next wakes me up. Rachel walks in, dripping wet, and singing, (as usual),

_Am I supposed to put my ife on hold, because you don't know how to act, and you don't know where your life is going?_

_Am I supposed to be torn apart, broken hearted, in a corner crying? Pardon me if I don't show it_

_I don't care if I never see you again_

_I'll be all right_

_Take this final piece of advice and get yourself together_

_But, either way, baby I'm gone..._

Then, she noticed I was there. "Oh, hey Puck. Are you here to lie to me, too?" She said bitterly. What's up with her?

"What happened?" I said, hitting the machine, and passing her a Pepsi.

"I found out that Jesse St. James is the biggest lying asshole I've ever met." She said, tipping her head back and chugging the Pepsi. "That everything he said was a damn lie." Jesus, she's pissed. I don't think I've ever seen Rachel Berry more unhinged than she is right now. "I mean, at least Finn told me he thought I was nuts. At least you told me I was bad for your rep. At least _you _didn't kiss the enemy." She elbowed the vending machine, and starts draining her secnd Pepsi.

She leans a little closer to me, leaning against the desk. She smelled weird, but familiar. Like..."Rachel, where have you been?"

Now, I noticed how unsteady she was on her feet, "I was a little depressed by the whole Jesse thing, so I went out with a couple of Carmel guy, and we had a few drinks. Then they started trying to kiss me, so I slapped them, an ran out and got a taxi here." Rachel was drunk. It was like saying the sky was green. It made no sense. But this time, it was true.

Surprisingly, it was kind of hot. She was a lot less uptight than she usually was, even if she was still crazy, just a different kind of crazy. She shook her head, "You know, I always pick guys who like other girls. Finn liked Quinn. Jesse likes Sienna. You were the only guy that didn't break my heart."

She moves so close we're right on top of each other. She's on like her fourth Pepsi. "I really liked you, Puck. When you sang for me, it was so sweet. Finn _never _sang for me. And, sometimes, I really wish we'd never broken up. You were good for me."

Wait, she still likes me? I thought he was into Finn. Then, I heard myself say, "I liked you too. You were crazy, but...in a good way."

"I thought you liked Quinn." She said, looking at me curiously.

"I was, until I realized... I was still into you." I move forward a couple inches and kiss her. She's kissing me back and it's all deep, and it's...it's great. There was onlyn one kiss that's ever been better. But, now's not the time to think about that. Now's the time to think about the hot girl in front of me who still likes me.

We kiss for what seems like forever, until this nurse comes in, raises an eyebrow, and asks, "Are you Mr. Puckerman?" I nod. "You'd better come with me. Your girlfriend is going into labor."

* * *

**Cliffie! Puckleberry! What'd you think? Finchel, Puckleberry, or St. Berry? R&R please!**


	5. Love's New Beginnings and Endings

**A/N-Ok, we're getting very close to the close of the story...Let me just say that last chapter was set from about 3-10 on Tuesday. So, let's get on to chapter 5. This is a long one, probably the longest in the story. So, settle back with some popcorn, and enjoy all the drama. Again, no songs in this chapter are mine, except Brittany's song.  
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* * *

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_Wednesday, May 28th-5:14 AM_

**Finn**

I thought I'd be sleeping, or getting ready for school right now. But, everything's changed. Quinn's in labor right now, and I'm still here, even though I can't go into the room unless Quinn lets me. So, here I am at 5 AM, wondering why I'm still here.

I'm kind of confused about what happened with Quinn. I liked it, but I still like Rachel. It didn't really feel right to be kissing Quinn anymore, to be honest. It was just weird. I wish Rachel would kiss me like that. But, she's too busy with Jesse and who knows what else to remember I'm alive.

I hear a soft, "Hey." Tina sits down beside me, "How's it going?"

"Not so good. I'm confused, my ex is having a baby, and I haven't slept since yesterday. How's it with you?" I ask.

Tina laughs, "Crappy. Artie broke up with me after school yesterday. He met a girl in his support group, Penelope, and well..."

I sigh. It's like everyone's having bad luck with love right now. "Tough break. But, you know Artie. He'll come back to you again. He always does." Tina blushes, "So, why are you here so early?"

"Kurt and Mercedes drove me over last night. Some seniors saw them singing with the Cheerios, and insisted they sing at their karaoke night. I haven't seen them since. I slept on a cot in a waiting room."

"Sounds like you've had a weird night too. You seen Rachel?"

Tina shook her head, "No, she..." She looks at me with concern, "She went over to Carmel. She said something about scoping out the competition. She said she'd be over here by 6 last night, but she never showed. Maybe she's at home."

I shook my head. Rachel would've at least called if she hadn't been able to make it and she was going home. "She's not. Do you think she's out with Jesse? Jackass." I look out the window, "She's still not over him. Not at all."

Tina bites her lip, "Give her time. She thought she was in love. I know what that feels like." She looks up at me sadly, and I know she's talking about Artie.

"Yeah, it's just...I don't get girls. They're like, impossible. One minute, Rachel would kill to be with me. Now, it's like she doesn't know I'm alive. Quinn hated me, and suddenly she's kissing me. I don't know how I feel about either of them."

Tina nods, looks at me intently, and says, "You want my advice? Just let things happen. Rachel will get over Jesse eventually. She'll either wind up with you or she won't. Either way, if things don't work out, it means that there's someone else out there. But, if things are meant to be, she'll come back to you at sometime or another."

I think about this. I _am_ tired of constantly worrying about Rachel liking me or not. Maybe if I let her go, I'd stop stressing. If Rachel loves Jesse, or some other guy at McKinley, or some other guy period, so be it. If I really love Rachel, I should let her go, let her be happy. Maybe she'll come back someday, and I'll be waiting.

"Thanks, Tina. Hey, there's something I've got to do. Could you watch my stuff for me?" Tina just nods, and picks up her book.

I fish out the business card Rachel gave me with all the New Directions members' phone numbers. I dial the one I need, and wait until I hear, "Sienna, it's early. Why are you calling right now?"

I say, "Jesse, dude, it's me Finn. I just had to tell you something."

"What Hudson?" He says in an annoyed voice.

"I just wanted to tell you Rachel's still into you. You broke her heart, but she still loves you."

He sounds surprised as he says, "But, I thought she had moved on. To you."

I wish. "She hasn't looked at me once in two weeks. So, I just wanted to tell you, don't let her go. I made that mistake, and trust me, I regret it."

He sounds sarcastic now, "Well ok, Finn. Whatever."

I'm angry with him now, "No, not just whatever, man. Do you love her?"

There's silence. "Uh..."

"Cause' if you do, fight for her, or she's going to find someone else." After that, there's nothing more to say, so I just hang up and walk away. If he leaves her, it's his loss, and my chance.

* * *

**Mike**

"Breathe, Quinn, just breathe. In, out, in, out." Quinn is (as you can tell) breathing deeply, teeth clenched. She seems pretty on edge, but I guess you can expect that, considering she's in labor.

The nurse is out looking for Puck, and Quinn doesn't want Finn here, so guess who's here for moral support? Ordinarily, I'd be thrilled to be spending this much time with her, but she's really not much for conversation right now.

Quinn looks up, and speaks, "Please, distract me, Mike." She smiles weakly, "You were always good at that in science."

I shrug, "Doing what?" Probably dancing. That's all anyone ever thinks I'm good at. They always forget I can juggle, and that I'm an Eagle Scout, and-

"Sing to me." Quinn says, surprising me. "I love hearing you sing. You should get more solos. Just sing me the last thing you heard on the radio. The last thing you can remember."

I try to think of something good, but the only song I can remember is this weird James Blunt song that reminds me of Quinn for some reason. She said she didn't care, so I sit on her bed, and sing,

_Simona, you're getting older,_

I touch Quinn's arm.

_Your journey's been etched on your skin_

_Simona, wish I had known that, _

_What seemed so strong, _

_Has been and gone,_

_I would call you up every Saturday night,_

_And we'd both stay out till the morning light,_

_And we sang Here We Go Again,_

_And though time goes by, _

_I will always be in a club with you in 1973,_

_Singing Here We Go Again_

I finish, and look over at Quinn, waiting for her to tell me it's stupid. But, she has tears in her eyes, and asks me, "How did you remember?"

"What?"

"That song. We sang it together at karaoke, the first night the Cheerios and the football guys went out together. I loved being up there with you. That was such a great night. It was the first night in high school where I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be, like I belonged. I've loved that song ever since."

I knew I had heard that song somewhere. and, I remembered that night. It was a great night for me too, hanging out with the guys, singing with Quinn, who I had a massive crush on, because we were doing karaoke on a dare. Quinn continues, "That's one of the reasons I've always loved you, Mike. You remember stuff. You care. Unlike Puck. Jackass can't even be here for his own daughter's birth.

Wait, did she just say what I thought she said? "Did...did you just say you love me?"

Quinn blushes, "Well, I've always felt this...connection to you. But, it's fine. You like Tina, and that's great."

Huh? "Quinn, I don't like Tina. She's a great friend, but she's like my sister. I've always really liked..." I look up at her.

She looks confused now, "Mike, you never asked me out. Not once. Not even when Joey and I broke up. You never even flirted with me."

"But, I thought you didn't like me, because you were always with Joey or Finn or somebody." So Quinn actually does like me? It's mindblowing.

She seems to have forgotten her pain for a moment, "Kiss me." She asks urgently.

"My pleasure." I say, and the whole world fades away. It doesn't matter that Quinn's having a baby, and that I'm kissing her in a hospital bed. All I can see and feel are the fireworks and Quinn's face. All that matters is that we're finally together after all these years.

I hear the door creak open, and an angry, "What the _hell_?" I turn, and see Puck, finally back and fuming.

The nurse who escorted him just looks at Puck and Quinn, shakes her head, and says in an exhausted voice, "You two have _a lot_ to talk about."

"What are you doing kissing her, Chang?" He says, pinning me against a wall before I can do anything.

"Being there for her, unlike you, _Puckerman_." I shove him off me.

"Puck, I'm not your girl anymore, remember? I never was. You were only there when you didn't have someone else to be there for. And I like Mike. I'm sorry." Quinn was starting to cry.

Puck actually looks hurt for once. He grabs the paperwork from the nurse and heads into the hall, but stops and says, "You know, I thought once Beth was born, we could be together. But, I guess not."

She shakes her head, "Why is it always 'when the baby's born' and never right now?" Puck walks out, and she says, "Go right now, Mike. I'll be fine. I just need to be alone." The nurse hurries me out.

Puck stops me, "Why didn't you tell me you liked her?"

I just shrug and say, "Why didn't you tell her you liked her?" He doesn't have anything to say to that, so I just walk away.

* * *

**Sue**

_Dear Journal,_

_I think I may have cracked, and all because of Brittany What's Her Name. Never in my many years as an educator have I ever met anyone so unable to learn. Is there something wrong with her? Is there something wrong with me? No, that can't be it. I must push on, and just keep going. Despite the fact that she hasn't been able to cheat, find the answer key, or use Yahoo! Answers, there must be hope. There must be _something _she can do._

"Ok, Britt. You keep claiming to 'know' all these things. Prove it." I flip open the math book. "Name the quadratic formula."

She just shrugs, "Ok, Coach Sylvester. That one's easy. I even made up a song:" She sings, to the tune of Frere Jacques,

_Negative b,_

_Plus or minus, _

_The square root of b squared,_

_Minus 4ac_

_All over 2a_

_All over 2a_

_You look terrible_

_I look awesome_

My mouth drops open. I haven't been this surprised since...ever.

"I can recite the formulas for area and perimeter too, if you want." She says.

* * *

**Brittany**

Everyone thinks I'm an idiot. But, that's not true. Actually, until high school, I got straight A's. I was in honors classes. I was in the Honor Society, and the National Science League. Then, I moved to Lima, and I realized here that being a smart Cheerio would get me nowhere. Everyone would slushie me, and I wouldn't be a Cheerio. So, I played dumb. Really dumb. **  
**

And, it's actually pretty fun. I've made friends, and dated every boy in school, except Artie and Finn (on my to-do list). No one expects me to do any work, because they all think I'm an idiot. And I get to say the most random things, and no one cares, because I'm an idiot. The only problem was my grades. I had to keep up my image. So, I started failing classes. My mom didn't care. But then, the school started sending me these letters about repeating the grade. That's when things got interesting.

When Coach Sylvester said she was going to tutor me, I was shocked. First, no one had ever tutored me before. I'd had straight A's. _I'd _tutored people before. But, I went along with it, to preserve my image. So, I started tutoring with her yesterday, and in a little over 16 hours later, at 7:56 AM, she's broken me. I've finally revealed I'm actually smart. But, will she tell?

* * *

**Rachel**

I was confused when I woke up on that mattress in the waiting room. It was still deserted. I wondered what they used it for. The last thing I could remember was Puck leaving. Then, I threw up all over the floor. Was it a dream? No, there was the sticky stain on the floor by the desk. Yuck.

I wander through the halls, looking for Puck, or Finn, or just someone I know. I stop when I see Mercedes, looking exhausted, walking out of the seniors' hall. "Hey, Rachel."

"Hey, Mercedes. Seen Puck?"

"No." She raises an eyebrow, and puts her hands on her hips, "Why would you need to see Puck? He's probably with Quinn. Didn't you hear? Quinn's actually having her baby. Apparently false labor wasn't so false after all."

He's having his baby now? "Oh, well that's...nice, I guess. I just wanted to talk with him."

"About what?"

"Last night." I blurt out. Oops!

She narrows her eyes, and says, "What happened last night with you and Puck, Rachel? Tina told me you never showed."

I flip my hair across my shoulder, and try to seem casual, "I came in late and hung out with Puck in a waiting room. That's all."

She shakes her head, "Look, I'm not gonna ask. But, I just want to remind you: Puck's Quinn's baby daddy. He needs to be there for her, and if you're going to date him, you have to know that in his heart, Quinn's always going to be number one."

I bite my lip. She's right. I can't be with him. He needs to be there for Quinn, be the father. And, who was I kidding? I don't like Puck the way you need to like a guy who's your boyfriend. He's fun to make out with, but I was drunk. And yeah, I miss him sometimes, but not enough to take him from Quinn. "Thanks, Mercedes."

I walk off to find Puck, for an entirely different reason than the one I started with. I find him sitting outside Quinn's room, signing papers. "Look Puck, we need to talk."

He looks up at me, "Oh, hey Rachel. What's up?"

"Puck, I can't date you."

He looks at me with confusion, "Why? We're both hot Jews. We're meant to be together."

I shake my head sadly, "No, Puck. You're about to be the father of a baby. Quinn needs you."

"No, she doesn't. She's too busy loving Mike to care about me." He says bitterly.

"Puck, you love her. You know that, deep inside. And I can't be with you if you love someone else." I turn, and I'm about to walk away, until a nurse sticks her head out, and says, "Mr. Puckerman? Would you like to meet your daughter?"

* * *

**Quinn**

As I hold that little girl in my arms, I feel the weirdest sense of joy. She's caused me so much pain, but she's been worth all of it. Maybe I'll keep her. No, I _know_ I'll keep her. Because from the moment she entered this world, with her blonde hair and her scream that could wake up the entire state of Ohio, she was worth it.

People started walking in, and soon the entire glee club was in here, smiling down at her sleeping face. Mr. Schue walks in, (I had the hospital call him.) and then I know I'm ready to talk to them, because everyone's here. "What's her name?" Rachel asks.

I smile, "Elizabeth," I look at Puck, who's grinning in spite of himself at her, "Drizzle," I look up at Finn, who opens his mouth, then closes it, "Fabray." Then, I reluctantly give her to Puck to hold, and I close my eyes to sleep. It's been a long day.


	6. Love Never Stops Believing

**A/N-Hello! It's the final chapter! I thought about ending it back there, but I felt you guys deserved to see Regionals and get something more conclusive! By the way, I am open to writing a sequel, so don't give up on Puckleberry or Puck/Quinn just yet...**

**None of these songs are my property.  
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_**Saturday May 31st, 2:54 PM, Regionals, Cleveland, Ohio**_

_**Rachel**_

Today is the day. The day we've all been preparing for since we sang Don't Stop Believing. Regionals! There are only three schools, and the first, Musical Vibes, wasn't very good. Apparently, they must've been the only team in their area, because all they did was sit on the ground and sing songs about global warming. Needless to say, they've already been eliminated. All the judges today are noted conservatives.

I'm sitting, getting ready to go on, when suddenly I see the very last person I want to see: Sienna. She and Vocal Adrenaline are up next, so we're going last. She unfortunately looks fabulous in her pale pink dress with a tank top and that flowing skirt. She comes in and sits next to me. "I just want to say good luck. And, I'm sorry."

"What?" I'm pretty sure I'm in a strange dream right now.

"I'm sorry, ok? I didn't want to play all those tricks on you. I didn't hate you. I just wanted my turn. I'm not going to pull anything today. May the best show choir win." She looks sad, and the concealer can't hide the puffiness under her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I ask, a little bit concerned.

"You know Jesse loves you, right? It was never an act." She says dreamily, seeming far away, "He loves you, and I kissed him that day. If he'd loved me, he wouldn't have followed you out there. You should be happy. He's a great guy."

"Jesse...loves me? But, it was for-"

She looks at me intently, "It was for Shelby in the beginning. But, I know Jesse. I've known him for a while. After a while, it was for him." She points at the bags under her eyes, "You see these? These are from crying, because Jesse called me last night. He told me he liked me a lot, but he couldn't be with me, because he loved you."

I put my hand on my mouth. She smiles wanly, and whispers, "Don't let him go."

Then, she heads out, and we're all called to the auditorium to watch Vocal Adrenaline. Their first number, Another One Bites The Dust, is even better than before. The duet between Jesse and Sienna in the chorus is really great.

Then, they set up for their next song. The rest of Vocal Adrenaline stands in the risers, as Jesse brings up a stool and a guitar. He sits, pulls up his guitar, and says in a slightly emotional voice, "Rachel? This one's for you. I think it says it all." The judges look at each other in confusion, and I sit there in total shock. You can't dedicate songs in show choir competition. Especially not to the lead singer for the other team. He strums out a familiar melody, and sings

_Heeeyy, hey, hey, hey_

_Your lipstick stains, _

_On the front lobe of my left side brains_

_I knew I wouldn't forget you, _

_So I went and let you blow and my mind,_

_Your sweet moonbeam,_

_The smell of you in every single dream I dream,_

_I knew when we collided, _

_You're the one, I have decided,_

_Who's one of my kind,_

He stepped down off stage, which is breaking at least 8 rules, and took my hand. I let him pull me up onstage and we dance, as he sings, to me and only me, even though the whole room can hear him,

_Hey, soul sister,_

_Ain't that mister, mister_

_On the radio, stereo,_

_The way you move ain't fair, you know_

_Hey soul sister,_

_I don't want to miss a single thing you do,_

_Tonight_

The whole song goes on just like that, just us dancing there, up on stage, in front of Vocal Adrenaline, New Directions, and everyone. Then, at the end, he simply says, "I love you, Rachel. I have since the moment we said hello in that music store." Then, like an answer to some unspoken question, I just kiss him, the most passionate kiss I've ever given anyone. There are whoops and hollers, and I only realize then that there was an audience watching us.

I see Finn, and want to say something, but as I walk off stage and open my mouth, he simply says, "You love him, and you don't have to apologize for that."

I hear Vocal Adrenaline start their next number, but I'm still in a bit of a love-filled haze,

_I used to rule the world,_

_Seas would rise when I gave the word,_

_Now in the morning I sleep alone, _

_Sweep the streets I used to own,_

_I used to roll the dice,_

_Feel the fear in my enemies' eyes,_

_Listen as the crowds would sing,_

_"Now the old king is dead!" "Long live the king!"_

_One minute I held the key,_

_Next the walls were closed on me, _

_And I discovered that my castles stand_

_Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand_

_I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing_

_Roman Cavalry choirs are singing_

_Be my mirror, my sword and shield,_

_My missionaries in a foreign field,_

_For some reason I can't explain,_

_Once you go there was never,_

_Never an honest word, _

_But that was when I ruled the world_

_

* * *

_"And now, here they are, McKinley High's New Directions!"

Mike steps forward, and sings,

_Just a small-town girl,_

_Living in a lonely world,_

_She took the midnight train going anywhere,_

Santana joins him, and sings,

_Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit,_

_He took the midnight train going anywhere,_

Kurt sang,

_A singer in a smoky room,_

Mercedes joined him,

_The smell of wine and cheap perfume _

_For a smile they can share the night_

_It goes on and on and on and on..._

Finn and Rachel came forward, to huge applause,

_Strangers waiting,_

_Up and down the boulevard,_

_Their shadows searching in the nights,_

_Streetlights, people,_

_Living just to find emotion,_

_Hiding somewhere in the nights!_

Brittany sang,

_Working hard to get my fill, _

_Everybody wants a thrill,_

Matt joined her,

_Paying anything to roll the dice,_

_Just one more time,_

Tina took her place at the mike, with Artie

_Some will win, some will lose,_

_Some are born to sing the blues,_

_And now the movie never ends,_

_It goes on, and on, and on, and on_

Quinn is wheeled out to huge cheers, as she sings with Puck,

_Strangers waiting,_

_Up and down the boulevard,_

_Their shadows searching in the nights,_

_Streetlights, people,_

_Living just to find emotion,_

_Hiding somewhere in the nights!_

Everyone sings,

_Don't stop believing, _

_Hold on to that feeling,_

_Streetlights, people_

_Don't stop!_

Finn goes up to the mike, and says nervously, "Uh, hey. We had a kind of wild week. Quinn was...well she was having a tough time this week. But, we're here. We didn't have the time to do another song, but we thought this one kind of said it all, so enjoy."

Quinn wheeled up, with Mike, and sang,

_There comes a time when we heed a certain call,_

Mike joined her,

_When the world must come together as one,_

Rachel continued,

_There are people dying,_

_And it's time to lend a hand,_

_To life, the greatest gift of all,_

Puck came up,

_We can't go on, pretending day by day,_

_That someone, somehow, will soon make a change,_

Mercedes sang,

_We are all a part of God's great big family,_

Santana finished,

_And the truth, you know love is all we need._

Then all the members linked hands and stood in a line across the middle of the stage, and sang,

_We are the world,_

_We are the children, _

_We are the ones who make a brighter day,_

_So let's start giving,_

Rachel sang,

_There's a choice we're making_

_We're saving our own lives_

Then everyone came back in,

_It's true we'll make a better day, just you and me_

They kept singing, with no choreography, no frills, just the simple power of the song. After they were finished, Mike looked over at Quinn, pulled her up gently, and kissed her long and hard, resulting in more wolf whistles, but he didn't notice. He hadn't noticed the audience since the moment Quinn sang the first line. There hadn't been anything else worth looking at.

* * *

Rod Remington came up on stage and said, "This was a very difficult competition to judge. The songs were great, the singers stunning," He winked at Santana, and then went back into serious mode, "But, there can only be one winner. This group had great emotional power as well as fabulous music..." The three groups stood with bated breath, "Come on up here, first place Regionals champions for 2010, _New Directions!"_

It was a perfect moment. There was kissing, from Rachel and Jesse, to Artie and Tina (they'd gotten back together). Then, all of them hoisted the trophy high and smiled for the photo. But, when the moment came for them to give their speech, they all elected Quinn to be their one and only speaker. "Hello, everyone." She started. "This week has had huge ups and downs for me. I wasn't even sure I was going to be here today. There was drama, heartache, euphoria, and a new beginning." She looked out, as if searching the audience for Beth, even though she had to be taken directly home. "But, I think the theme of this week has been that love has many forms. And, it always teaches you something. How to let go," She looked at Finn and Puck, "And how to start over again." She smiled at Mike. "This week was confusing, and painful, and joyful, all at the same time. But, hey, that's the way love's supposed to be. Thanks very much." And there was nothing more to say.

**The End **


End file.
